A so-called one-box or mono-box car of cab-over type is known in which first and second rear seats defining two rows of rear seats are installed. This type of car is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 63-173736, Japanese Utility-Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 63-179247 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-81738.
The seat mounting structure in this kind of vehicle typically comprises a first rear seat located behind a driver's seat and an assistant driver's seat, and a second seat located behind the first rear seat, wherein the first and rear seats are carried on the vehicle body by means of respective guide means for permitting the first and second rear seats to move in the lengthwise direction. Thus, the first and second rear seats are adjustable in the space or distance between the driver's seat and the first rear seat or that between the first and second seats.
When a relatively large loading space is needed in a rear zone of the vehicle in order to increase the loading capacity thereof, the seat back or backrest of the second rear seat is backwardly inclined to form a substantially flat loading plane; otherwise, the backrest of the second rear seat is forwardly inclined to enlarge the available loading space around the second seat.
The above Publication No. 63-173736 discloses an arrangement of rear seats in a one-box car in which the rear seats are appropriately divided into sections. Each seat section is biased or displaced to be positioned along the side wall of the vehicle body or the assistant driver's seat. Thus, the seat sections are laterally or forwardly displaced from the central area of the vehicle floor to provide a relatively large loading area in the rear zone thereof.
The above Publication No. 63-179247 discloses another seat mounting construction in which one of slide rails for a first rear seat partially extends to an area below a second rear seat to be used as one of guide rails for the second rear seat, so that the numbers of constituent parts are decreased and installation work may be simplified.
Further, the above Publication No. 2-81738 discloses a seat mounting construction in which a first rear seat is removable away from a vehicle floor and a second rear seat has a seat cushion displaceable upward along its seat back. A fixed slide rail extending forward for moving the second rear seat is provided so as to enhance the efficiency of increase of loading space.
Although the conventional constructions generally comprise guide means for supporting and guiding the first and second rear seats, the guide means includes first and second or front and rear slide rails on which the first and second rear seats are movably mounted respectively. A position of a rear end of the first rails may be determined on the basis of a seatbelt anchor point on a pillar beside the first rear seat, so that the rail end corresponds to an end of a predetermined area range or distance from the anchor point wherein the passenger on the seat can apply the seatbelt. Further, a position of a forward end of the second rail may be determined on the basis of a seatbelt anchor point on a pillar adjacent the second rear seat so that the rail end corresponds to an end of a predetermined area range or distance from the anchor point wherein the passenger on the seat can use the seatbelt.
On the other hand, it is desired to employ various kind of formations or patterns of the seats, for instance, a so-called full-flat position in which a substantially flat seat is formed with the respective seat backs being inclined backward, or a seat position in which the second rear seat is moved backward with the seat back being inclined forward and thereafter the first rear seat is moved backward to the area of the second rear seat.
However, the above conventional mount structures cannot effect such various seat formation because of limitation of the movable area range of the seats depending on the ends of the first and second slide rails.